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Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson said Sunday “it was my fault” to bring in quarterback Vince Young late into Packers training camp. The Packers signed Young on August 5th, ten days after the start of training camp, and the Packers released Young on Saturday.

“We felt like it wasn’t fair to Vince (Young)”, Thompson said. “We threw a lot on his plate, and I probably should’ve had him in here earlier. He was a great teammate, humble and good guy, and we enjoyed his time here”.

Quarterback B.J. Coleman is entering his 2nd NFL season since the Packers drafted him in the 7th-round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of Tennessee-Chattanooga. Young’s release was even more surprising to fans and critics after Coleman had a statistically poor preseason, completing 12/27 passes for 113 yards, while throwing one touchdown pass and an interception.

Pending further roster moves within the next couple of days, Thompson said Coleman is the team’s second-string quarterback. “I think he is growing”, Thompson said. “He is continuing to get better, he is processing information, but we’re all trying to get better”.

“It has been a tough couple of days for us upstairs”, Thompson said. “A lot of things will change, and these are real tough days (because) you grow very fond of these people and the process hurts. We are always thinking what is best for the Packers, the organization, and the guys in that locker room”.

The 2013 Green Bay Packers’ average age is 25.5 years old, and they have 23 offensive players, 27 defensive players, three specialists, 11 rookies (8 drafted, 3 undrafted), and a player no older than 33.

Jolly is one of seven (that’s right, SEVEN) defensive linemen on the Green Bay Packers 53-man roster. Thompson said the Packers “feel great” about the depth at the defensive line, and Jolly earned his spot.

“Johnny (Jolly) is a real natural football player”, Thompson said. “He really loves to play the game, he is a bit infectious with our team, and he seems to be well-respected amongst his peers”.

Jolly will be suiting up next Sunday at San Francisco for his first game since NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him indefinitely from the league after the 2009 season. “I don’t think any of us can speak about the journey he has been on”, Thompson said. “We don’t know all the things which he has encompassed on this journey”.

Thompson said he felt comfortable bringing Jolly back to the Packers, nearly four years removed from football. “There were a lot of things that went into it”, Thompson said regarding the team’s decision to add Jolly. “Some players on this team came to me and spoke to me and said how much they’d like to have him back as a teammate”.

Possibly the most surprising roster add, the 6’3, 260-pound undrafted rookie from Eastern Michigan will sit and learn from former 1st round draft picks Nick Perry and Clay Matthews in 2013. After recording seven total tackles and one sack in the preseason, Mulumba was selected in favor of veteran linebackers Terrell Manning and Dezman Moses

“A lot of thing went into the equation”, Thompson said regarding the team’s decision to keep Mulumba. “There were a lot of considerations for playing different positions, and it is a little more complicated to pit one player against another. At the end of the day, we do what is best for the Packers”.

Mulumba was one of three rookie linebackers (Nate Palmer, Sam Barrington) selected to the 53-man roster Saturday. Mulumba is also one of three undrafted rookies (offensive lineman Lane Taylor, safety Chris Banjo) to survive the final cut.

Banjo, a former star at Southern Methodist University (SMU), caught Packers coaches off-guard since arriving in training camp. Banjo, who is two seasons removed from college football, was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this offseason before the Packers signed him one day before camp.

Thompson, a former undrafted player from SMU himself, said he believed Banjo took advantage of his opportunity in training camp. “Sometimes you need opportunity, and we were looking for a safety after our rookie minicamps”, Thompson said. “He ran well (in mini-camp), we decided to sign him, and the rest was him. He plays hard, and he is a good football player”.

Banjo, who recorded a sack in the team’s preseason finale at Kansas City, will play on special teams, and serve as the team’s fourth safety behind Morgan Burnett, M.D. Jennings, and Jerron McMillian.

Most Notable Roster Cuts:

TE Matthew Mulligan

A bit of a surprise roster move, the Packers possibly released their top run-blocking tight end, Matthew Mulligan, on Saturday. The Packers released Mulligan in favor of Jermichael Finley, Andrew Quarless, Ryan Taylor, and Brandon Bostick.

Thompson said the decision to release shouldn’t discredit Mulligan’s talent. “It speaks more to the other tight ends that we have”, Thompson said. “We have more body work with those guys (Quarless, Taylor, Bostick) because they’ve been practicing and playing here the past two years. We have a fairly good tight end group, and it is more of a reflection of that than anything else”.

Mulligan was a key contributor for the New York Jets earlier in his career, helping the Jets lead the NFL in rushing from 2009-2010, en route to two consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances.

The Packers released Dezman Moses in favor of a pair of rookies, Mulumba and Palmer, and his release caught us by surprise here at Packers 101. As an undrafted rookie last season, Moses recorded four sacks, and later became the Packers top backup outside linebacker option down the late-season stretch.

“When we put together roster changes, we try to evaluate what will be the best thing to help this team win”, Thompson said. “We think win now, six weeks from now, and two years from now. We don’t bring up cutting a veteran over a rookie, and we don’t think about that, just the way it works out”.

According to Wes Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Moses was claimed by the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Other News and Notes: Linebacker Terrell Manning (Chargers), tight end D.J. Williams (Jaguars), running back Alex Green (Jets),and offensive lineman Patrick Lewis (Browns) were claimed off waivers Sunday, according to Hodkiewicz. All four players were released by the Packers on Saturday…Hodkiewicz also reported earlier Sunday the Packers have signed wide receivers Charles Johnson and Myles White, tight end Jake Stoneburner, quarterback Scott Tolzien, and defensive back James Nixon to the team’s practice squad…the Packers can sign up to two more players to their practice squad.